Case XXXII

The amiable and learned Harrington, author of the Oceana, spoke very sensibly on every subject but that connected with his malady. When on this subject, he related, with the most lively faith in the world, that his vital spirits escaped from all his pores, in the shape of birds, flies, bees, etc. His friends said that he often amused them with accounts of good and evil genii that caused him great alarm. He defended his opinions so ably that his physician found it difficult to reply. He compared himself to Democritus, whose admirable discoveries in anatomy caused him to be looked on as a madman by his countrymen, until Hippocrates disabused them.*

* A. Brierre de Boismont, Bibliotbdqne des Practiciens, t ix., Maladies Mentales, t. ix., Folie des Ivrognes, p. 478.

One of the most powerful arguments that has been advanced against the existence of external images in hallucination, is the weakening or loss of sight. Esquirol and M. Lelut have given several examples. It is incontrovertible that, in the cases cited below, the hallucinations were in the brain.

Case XXXIII

An old man, who was more than eighty years of age when he died, never sat down to table, during the latter years of his life, without seeing a large party of guests around him, dressed according to the style of half a century before. This old man could only see very feebly with one eye; he also wore a green shade. At different times he saw his own figure before him, which seemed to be reflected by the shade.

Dr. Dewar, of Stirling, told Abercrombie of a very remarkable example of this kind of hallucination. The subject, entirely blind, never went into the street without seeing a little old woman in a red cloak, with a bill-headed cane. This apparition walked before her. The lady never saw it after having entered the house, †

In the establishment of the Faubourg St. Antoine‡ was a lady, eighty years of age, who had been blind for many years, and who every morning desired the windows and door of her room to be

* British Biography, vol. v. p. 405: Le Droit, 1850.

† John Abercrombie, Inquiries concerning the Intellectual Powers, p. 379, eleventh edition, London, 1842.

‡ It was from this house that General Mallet escaped, at the time of the retreat from Moscow, who, for a short time, perilled the power of Napoleon. Some time previously, the General had made an attempt to escape, but was detected at the moment. Notwithstanding the entreaties of his family, Dr. Dubuisson, who knew the heavy responsibility that he incurred, gave in his report, which was placed amongst the government papers. Immediately on the arrest of Mallet, Dubuisson was seized. He was taken before the Minister of Police, who said angrily to him: "You have allowed the chief of the conspirators to escape; you have connived with him, and must be sent to a court-martial." "Sir," replied the Doctor, "it is the police who are in the wrong; I have done my duty. Summon the officer who has the inspection of our houses, and ask him if he did not receive a circumstantial report of the first attempt." The officer is sent for. "The gentleman is right," said he; "we forgot that." "You are fortunate," added the minister, turning towards M. Dubuisson; "without this report, you would have joined the conspirators on the plain of Grenelle." opened, to let out the number of persons who filled it, and whose dress and manner she perfectly distinguished.